| 释义 |
difficultly, adv.|ˈdɪfɪkəltlɪ|
[f. difficult a. + -ly2. Formerly very frequent in literary use; now rather avoided, and in speech rarely used; in sense 1, ‘with difficulty’ is usually substituted.]
1. In a difficult manner, not easily, hardly; with difficulty.
1558in Strype Ann. Ref. I. App. iv. 4 Ireland..will be very difficultly stayed in their obedience. 1624Scott Vox Coeli 6 Our posterity will difficultly beleeue it. 1646S. Bolton Arraignm. Err. 47 Castles, and forts, and strong holds, they are hardly conquered, difficultly overcome. 1654H. L'Estrange Chas. I (1655) 1 He..was none of the gracefullest of Orators, for his words came difficultly from him. a1677Barrow Serm. Wks. 1716 I. 5 A possession of trifles..difficultly acquired and easily lost. 1685Boyle Effects of Mot. vi. 66 The Mountain Carpathus..said to be much more steep and difficultly accessible than any of the Alps. 1718Prideaux Connect. O. & N.T. ii. iv. 219 Gorgias difficultly escaping fled to Marisa. 1784J. Keir Dict. Chem. 97 The vapours..are very elastic, and difficultly condensable. a1843Southey Doctor ccxxi. (1862) 594 Diseases..difficultly distinguishable by their symptoms. 1875Ruskin Fors Clav. V. 37 No. 50 The difficultly reconcileable merits of old times and new things. 1879Rutley Study Rocks x. 87 Labradorite fuses readily..anorthite is more difficultly fusible.
b. In a way hard to understand; obscurely.
1581G. Pettie Guazzo's Civ. Conv. ii. (1586) 62 It is a thing as blame worthie to speake dissolutelie, as to speake difficultlie. 1875A. Swinbourne Picture Logic ix. 58 Things seem to me to be put so difficultly in books.
c. To a difficult degree; so as to be difficult of access, passage, etc.
1872C. King Mountain. Sierra Nev. iv. 88 We found the ice-angle difficultly steep; but made our way successfully along its edge.
d. In a difficult position; in a condition of embarrassment. (Cf. difficulty 2 c.)
1886P. O. Hutchinson Diary T. Hutchinson II. 430 These unfortunate people were very difficultly placed.
†2. Unwillingly, reluctantly. Obs.
1551Robinson tr. More's Utop. ii. (Arb.) 99, I knowe howe difficultlie and hardelye I meselfe would haue beleued. 1614Lodge Seneca 2 Hath..either..denied, or promised but difficultly..with strained and reproachful words. 1677Otway Cheats of Scapin ii. i, How easily a miser swallows a load, and how difficultly he disgorges a grain. |